Definition of respiration

The word "respiration" originates from the Latin words "respirare," meaning "to breathe," and "spirare," meaning "to blow." This word has been in use since the 16th century to describe the act of breathing, or the process by which the body takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. In Latin, "respirare" is a compound verb formed from "re-" (again) and "spirare" (to blow). The Latin term was adopted into Middle English as "respiration," and has since been used in various fields such as medicine, biology, and psychology. Over time, the meaning of the word has expanded to include not only the physical act of breathing, but also the exchange of gases between an organism and its environment, as well as the process of cellular respiration, where cells convert glucose into energy.